May 27, 2009

"Every generation laughs at the old fashions but follows religiously the new."

Henry David ThoreauAuthor, Poet

So is Mr. Thoreau making fun of the old or the young who follow new fashion?

Maybe neither. Maybe he's just calling out what is around us in all aspects of our lives, including business.

I can think of many examples of business logic I almost automatically once thought "powerful", now, well let's just say less so. But fortunately I'm still able to get excited about "new" thinking.

That's just being human.

However one thing I am now more than in the past is thoughtful. I will still occasionally lurch towards extremes but less far and rarely if ever all the way, choosing instead to think things through before acting.

May 26, 2009

"There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home."

Ken OlsenPresident Digital Equipment Company (said in 1977)

I don't know Mr. Olsen but assume he is an intelligent individual (he had to have been to reach the position he did.) And like everyone he would be subject to miscalculation and no doubt regretted this statement soon after making it.

Perspective, or lack thereof, is what makes or breaks most companies. How do you know yours is what it should be?

May 22, 2009

"I didn't do it.""It wasn't me.""Everyone (no one) did (didn't) do it too.""What could I do?""Somebody will do it"What could we accomplish if everyone took personal, up close responsibility, not only for their actions but for the overall success of the organization?

May 21, 2009

"Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because it means things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better."

King Whitney Jr.President, Personnel Laboratory, Inc.

I like this a lot.

Most agree that change is inevitable so the only question is, how will we deal with it? I admit that at various times my reaction has been each of the above but overall, I am more often the latter.

May 19, 2009

"Dressing up is inevitably a substitute for good ideas. It is no coincidence that technically inept business types are known as "suits."

Paul GrahamProgrammer, Venture Capitalist

"Inevitable" correlation between the way people dress and the likelihood of good ideas coming from them?

Really?Back in the day, everyone wore suits; both those with bad as well as good ideas, just as today good and bad ideas (as well as good/bad programming and investment decisions) come from people wearing jeans and sandals.

Weight, presence or absence of hair, clothes, gender, ethnicity, age, etc., etc.; how (do) you factor that in when considering the likely ability of one to do the job you hire them to do?

May 03, 2009

"The single most important thing was to dismantle the organizational structure of Fiat. We tore it apart in 60 days, removing a large number of leaders who had been there a long time and who represented an operating style that lay outside any proper understanding of market dynamics."

Sergio MarchionneCEO Fiat Group

"The Italians have been shocked by how bloated Chrysler's management still is--there are nearly ten times as many people in external communications as there are at Fiat."

The EconomistApril 25, 2009

"If this thing (Fiat acquisition of Chrysler) comes off they're (Chrysler management) really in for a shock."

Anonymous Senior Fiat Executive

You are Fiat's CEO. How do you balance the immediate need to change while at the same time maintaining a minimum level of Chrysler employee morale?

May 01, 2009

"If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail."

Abraham MaslowAmerican Psychologist

The overriding goal of for profit business is to make socially acceptable profit.No business I know and none I have ever been a part of has had all the "tools" necessary to make this happen. There's always something we want that resources won't allow us to have.

That aside, I observe that businesses do have more tools than they either realize or choose to use (usually the first.) Mr. Maslow is talking about the only "tool" one has but I'm suggesting we add to that the possibility that there may be more we simply don't use.

What "tools" do you have available to achieve your goals, keeping in mind that the one(s) you use may not be all you have.